Subclass 190 Visa Requirements: Points, Nomination, Priority

The subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) visa is a permanent visa that requires you to be nominated by an Australian state or territory government before you can be granted it. The core requirements are that you must have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list, obtain a suitable skills assessment, meet the points test threshold, and receive a valid nomination. The Department of Home Affairs processes subclass 190 applications according to Ministerial Direction 119, which came into effect on 25 July 2026 and sets priority based on occupation and whether you were in Australia at the time of application. You should confirm the current points requirement and occupation lists on the official visa page, as the official guidance here does not state the specific points score or list of eligible occupations.

What the subclass 190 visa is

The subclass 190 visa is a Skilled Nominated visa, and it is a permanent visa. This means that, unlike temporary skilled visas such as the subclass 482, the subclass 190 is designed to allow you to live and work in Australia permanently. The official guidance confirms that the subclass 190 is included in the list of visa subclasses covered by Ministerial Direction 119, which sets processing priorities for certain Skilled visas. It is also one of the visa categories included in the Skilled (Permanent) visa program, for which the median processing time was 8 months as of July 2026.

Because the subclass 190 is a permanent visa, it is not subject to the subsequent temporary application charge. The Department’s guidance on that charge states that it is not paid for permanent visa applications. This is a useful distinction if you are comparing the subclass 190 with a temporary visa such as the subclass 482 or subclass 500, where the subsequent temporary application charge may apply in certain circumstances.

Nomination requirement

The defining feature of the subclass 190 visa is that you must be nominated by an Australian state or territory government. This is different from a visa such as the subclass 189 (Skilled Independent), which does not require nomination. The official guidance does not set out the specific criteria that each state or territory applies when deciding whether to nominate you, so you must check the relevant state or territory nomination requirements separately.

The nomination requirement is significant because it means that even if you meet the points test and have a valid skills assessment, you cannot be granted the subclass 190 without a nomination. The Department’s processing priorities treat nomination and visa applications together for certain Skilled visas, which indicates that both parts of the process are considered in the same priority framework.

Points test and skills assessment

The subclass 190 visa is a points-tested visa. You must score enough points to be invited to apply, and the Department will assess your points when it decides your application. The official guidance does not state the minimum points score required for the subclass 190, nor does it list the specific occupations that are eligible. You should verify both on the official subclass 190 visa page and the relevant skilled occupation list before you lodge an application.

A skills assessment is a standard requirement for points-tested skilled visas, and the subclass 190 is no exception. You will need to have your skills assessed by the relevant assessing authority for your occupation. The official guidance does not name the assessing authorities or the assessment criteria, so you must consult the official guidance for your occupation.

Processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 119

Ministerial Direction 119 came into effect on 25 July 2026 and replaced all processing priorities under Ministerial Direction 105. It applies to all on-hand applications, including for the Skills in Demand (subclass 482) program, which was not previously included under Ministerial Direction 105. The subclass 190 is one of the visa subclasses covered by Ministerial Direction 119.

Prioritisation under Ministerial Direction 119 is afforded according to both occupation and the location of applicants at the time of application. The priorities are set out in the following order:

Priority	Category	Location at time of application
1 (highest)	Law enforcement or defence interests	In Australia
2	Law enforcement or defence interests	Outside Australia
3	Construction, healthcare, and teaching occupations	In Australia
4	All other occupations	In Australia
5 (lowest)	All other occupations	Outside Australia

This means that if you are in Australia when you apply for the subclass 190, your application will be in a higher priority group than if you are outside Australia, all else being equal. Occupations supporting Australia’s law enforcement and defence interests are afforded the highest priority, followed by those in construction, healthcare, and teaching.

It is important to note that processing priority does not guarantee a faster decision. The Department states that applications are not always processed in the order they are received, and that some applications may be decided more quickly than others. The median processing time for Skilled (Permanent) visas was 8 months as of July 2026, but this is a median across the category and not specific to your application.

Factors that affect processing times

Processing times for the subclass 190 can vary for several reasons. The Department lists a range of factors that affect processing times generally, including:

• Whether applications have all necessary supporting documents.
• Whether applications are lodged online or as paper applications.
• How quickly responses for further information are provided.
• How long it takes to receive information from external agencies, particularly relating to health, character and national security requirements.
• For permanent visa applications, the number of places available in the migration program.
• The complexity of a visa application.
• Changes to Ministerial Directions.
• Deciding older applications increases processing times.

Lodging a complete application helps avoid delays. For employer-sponsored visas, submitting complete nomination and visa applications at the same time can support more efficient processing. While the subclass 190 is not employer-sponsored, the same principle of completeness applies: you should submit all supporting documents at the time of applying.

What to check on the official page

The official guidance does not provide the specific points score required for the subclass 190, the list of eligible occupations, or the state and territory nomination criteria. These are essential parts of the requirements, and you must verify them on the official Department of Home Affairs subclass 190 visa page before you lodge an application. You should also check the current skilled occupation list and the points test calculator, as these can change.

You should also verify the current processing time for the subclass 190 using the visa processing times guide, which shows processing times for recently decided applications. The guide is not specific to your application, but it gives an indication of what you might expect.

Next steps

To apply for the subclass 190, you will need to lodge your application online via ImmiAccount. Before you do that, you should confirm that you meet the points test threshold, that your occupation is on the relevant skilled occupation list, and that you have a valid skills assessment. You will also need to obtain a nomination from a state or territory government.

Check the official subclass 190 visa page on the Department of Home Affairs website for the current requirements, including the points score, occupation list, and nomination process. Verify your eligibility before you lodge, and submit all supporting documents with your application to avoid delays.